Karen Foley
Lynn Raye Harris
Ellen Hartman
Diana Holquist
Samantha Hunter
Shirley Jump
Dee Tenorio
Jeannie Watt
FAQ for The Boyfriend's Back
I'm a technical writer. That means I write Frequently Asked Question pages (FAQs) on a regular basis. Did you know that most FAQs are made up by technical writers and have nothing to do with actual questions anyone has ever asked? Yep. It’s like writing fiction, except about bytes and bandwidth and secure passwords. And also the FAQs are usually nonfiction. Usually.
Anyway, I wrote an FAQ for His Secret Past and the comments were a ton of fun so I thought I’d do one for The Boyfriend’s Back.
1. The title is The Boyfriend’s Back, but the cover shows his front. What’s up with that?
Um. Good observation? But the title refers to the fact that The Boyfriend was gone and has now returned. He came back. Get it?
2. See that part on the cover where it says “Going Back?” Is that because her hair is blowing back in the wind? Is it, like, a caption? Because I didn’t think her hair needed a caption.
Well, no. Sorry. You’re 0 for 2 here. Going Back means this book is part of the Superromance themed series about characters who return to their hometowns. In this case, The Boyfriend. He is back. In his hometown. Get it?
3. In the book, JT has a degree in robotics from Carnegie Mellon. You went to Carnegie Mellon. Is your degree in robotics?
Not exactly. My degree is in Creative Writing—that would be the English department, not the engineering school. But I had a job in a robotics lab one time, which is what gave me the idea of sending JT there.
4. So you majored in writing and built robots in your spare time? Cool.
No. I majored in writing and did some writing for a robotics project in my spare time. The project was an early speech recognition program. I had to copy edit the manuscript the robot created. It was pretty cool.
5. It doesn’t sound cool to me.
I guess you’re not a writer/geek like I am.
6. I think I'm okay with that.
Did you have another question?
7. I read the back cover copy and it sounds like a secret baby book—guy leaves home and comes back fifteen years later. Girl has secret she’s afraid to tell him, and she’s got a daughter. Secret baby, right?
Well, fifteen years…not exactly a baby anymore, is it?
8. Are you supposed to be sarcastic when you’re answering these questions?
Sorry. Not a secret baby. Not exactly, anyway.
9. Are you supposed to be evasive when you’re answering these questions?
Argh. Do you want me to give away the entire plot? Is anticipation not part of the fun?
10. Stop answering my questions with questions. So in the cover picture it looks as if Hailey is getting ready to have her way with JT. What page is that scene on?
Heh. 30. ;-)
»
LOL
Ellen, I'm in love with your sense of humor, and I think I'm going to love your characters just as much! Nice post!
LOL
Ellen,
You're a crack up!
Kim
Thanks, buddy. I do my best. ;-)
Thanks
I'm glad the humor worked for you. I've been writing for a long (long, long) time, but only recently figured out how to get humor in there on a consistent basis. JT and Hailey are a great couple--am I allowed to say that? He's very funny and beleaguered. I like a beleaguered man. ;-)
:-D
LOL - great post! I needed the laugh this morning. I think you should re-write the FAQs for a number of places... :-)
Cathy
Sadly, rewriting FAQs is my job but I don't often get this much leeway. If only...right? :-)
Excellent, Ellen! Thanks
Excellent, Ellen! Thanks for a good start-my-morning guffaw.
I have to tell you that I have also posted my own FAQs on my black board. I post them at the beginning of the school year and leave them up all year (or until the janitor forgets the SAVE and erases them sometime in April). Here they are:
FAQ
Q: Can I leave to go to the bathroom?
A: No.
Q: I grabbed the wrong binder. Can I go back to my locker?
A: No.
Q: Can I leave to get a drink?
A: No.
Saves me a lot of time.
Jeannie
You obviously have a gift for communication! ;-)
What if I feel sick? Can I go to the nurse?
If you are not a repeat
If you are not a repeat offender (boo boos everyday) then you are free to go to the nurse. You are also free to leave the room in the event of sudden nausea. I rarely have a kid use this free pass, but I like them to know there is an alternative to puking in the room.
I bow...
Once again I bow before your wisdom. :-)
in the majority...
of giggling and smiling with everyone else.
Marcie
Glad you got a smile out of it! Looks as if my work here is done... :-)
Well done Ellen!!
This is great! You had me LOLing at #8! Can't wait for my copy to arrive in my mailbox!
Christyne Butler
http://www.christynebutler.com
Embrace romance . . . happily ever after guaranteed!
THE COWBOY'S SECOND CHANCE, Silhouette Special Edition, June 2009
THE SHERIFF'S SECRET WIFE (working title), Silhouette Special Edition, 2010
Christyne
Can I start by saying how much I like looking at your sig. *pets Christyne's sig* So full of wonderful excitement!
Glad you enjoyed the FAQ. I hope you enjoy the book also! :-)
Absolutely Love It
I bow to the Queen of FAQ. :)
Sam
*nods regally*
Why thank you, my dear. It's good to have a skill, even if it's a nonsensical one. ;-)
Ellen, RMAOLOL I love your
Ellen,
RMAOLOL I love your FAQ's. I just sent in a huge order to eHarlequin, your book should be here any day. I'm taking it on vacation with me. I'd take you, but my dh said no...just us! So your book's the next best thing! LOL
And I didn't know you went to Carnegie Mellon...that's practically next door to me! LOL My daughter went to Carlow.
Holly
www.HollyJacobs.com
UNEXPECTED GIFTS, Harlequin SuperRomance, 11/09
EVERYTHING BUT A CHRISTMAS EVE, Avalon, 12/09
I wanna cruise with Holly
Holly--please, please, please take me on the cruise. You can promise your husband I won't talk or do anything but lie on a lounge chair and read. Or sleep.
Small world, isn't it? I was born in Latrobe, moved to Scranton, and then went back to the Burgh for college. I really liked sending JT there.
Enjoy your books!!!
Ellen Cruising
Ellen,
My dh said, sure! It's a Disney Cruise. What could be better than a good book, a lounge chair, someone cooking for you...and Mickey!! LOL
Holly
www.HollyJacobs.com
UNEXPECTED GIFTS, Harlequin SuperRomance, 11/09
EVERYTHING BUT A CHRISTMAS EVE, Avalon, 12/09
Yay!
I will be right there. DO NOT leave without me.
Can we stop at Whippy Dip before we go to the airport? :-)
Alas...Whippy Dip
Ellen,
Okay, we're waiting. Pack your bathing suit and Mickey ears! Alas, Whippy Dip has not opened yet, but Sara's on Presque Isle has. We can go there! LOL
Holly
www.HollyJacobs.com
UNEXPECTED GIFTS, Harlequin SuperRomance, 11/09
EVERYTHING BUT A CHRISTMAS EVE, Avalon, 12/09
Hilarious
I love it, Ellen! This is a hoot! Now point me to the one you did for Mason and Anna, please!
LindaC
Old FAQ
Hi Linda,
Thanks for popping in to read! Glad you enjoyed it. Here's the older one. The comments really were hysterical. That blog was how I "met" Donna Alward. I hope I'll meet her in person at RWA this summer since we had so much fun online this winter.
FAQ for His Secret Past
Love the humor!
Love the humor!
Estella
Glad it brought a smile! Thanks for reading. ;-)
Awesome!
Thanks for doing that, Ellen--loved it! And looking forward to the book now, too!
Fedora
I think I can safely say the book is better than the FAQ. ;-) I hope...hee. Okay, the book is longer than the FAQ. I know that's true! :-)
love the post
If you guys think these are funny, you should see the FAQ Ellen wrote for Microsoft Word '97.
As someone who has had the honor of reading The Boyfriend's Back in manuscript, I can attest that YOU ALL MUST READ THIS BOOK!!!! It is as funny as Ellen's posts, and sexy, and emotional, and...well, just read it.
OMG
Diana--'fess up now. You still have my Microsoft FAQs saved to your favorites folder don't you. Heh. Actually, I don't think there were FAQs when I worked at Microsoft. Online help was still new...oh man, I'm old.
Thanks for the book recommendation. I've mailed the first born, cash to follow. ;-)
How did you get the stamps on?
;)
Super Glue
Once he gets to Diana she can figure out how to unstick them.
;-)
Read it, loved it!
I loved the one for Mason and Anna. Read dh the section on golf(he's a golfer)and he appreciated your humor, too. This is a great and unique way to put your talents to work, Ellen.
LindaC
Linda
Oh, I'm glad it was fun.
You know, when I was in college taking writing classes I knew I could never be a journalist because I couldn't stop making things up to make the interviews I did more interesting. I guess fictional FAQs are in my blood. ;-)
FAQs 101
Your sense of humor is priceless, love these FAQs!
Your book should be showing up in my mailbox any day now. It is hard waiting. :-)
Yay
I hope you enjoy the book! Glad you got a laugh here in the non-fiction section of my life. ;-)
ROFL
This was GREAT!! We're going to expect this on all your books now.
And, I think, all the regular Cigar writers should include for their own books!
ani
~still wiping away tears of laughter
How about
Ellen does them for all of our books? (all in favor, say aye!) I could never come up with anything this clever...
Sam
Thought about it
Thanks, guys. You're so nice!!!
Sam--I read your new bio page. That's nothing if not clever. :-)
I'm afraid the tone of the humor in these is okay if I'm talking about my own book, but it would sound mean if I was talking about someone else's stuff. At least that's what I think would happen. ;-)
Thanks for the big smile on my face
The Boyfriend's Back is on order. I'm so looking forward to it.
Hi Kaelee
Hi!
I haven't seen you around the boards in a while. Glad our paths cross here sometimes. :-) I'm so happy this made you smile. We can use all the smiles we can get these days! Hope you enjoy the book. I'll be interested to hear what you think!
Take care.
humor is so good for anyone
humor is so good for anyone and everyone but not if you've just had abdominal surgery I would imagine.
I love humor and humor in books so please count me in for this great read.
I agree
Buddy--you're definitely right about that. I was just watching some YouTube clips from Britian's Got Talent and I especially appreciated the ones that made me laugh. I hope you'll enjoy the book!
:-)